Arsenal to face Liverpool in FA Cup 5th round

By -
Associated Press -
Sunday, January 26, 2014

LONDON (AP) - The draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup has set up intriguing clashes between England’s top four teams with Premier League leader and 10-time cup winner Arsenal hosting Liverpool and Chelsea traveling to Manchester City.

Holder Wigan, which defeated Crystal Palace in the previous round, will travel to Cardiff.

“No problem,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said of the draw after his team beat Stoke 1-0 Sunday. “If you want to be the best you have to play against the best, so it’s good for us. Good experience, good game, big game.”

There are two other all-top flight ties as Sunderland takes on Southampton and Everton hosts Swansea.

Manchester City, winners in 2011 and last year’s losing finalist, avoided a major shock by coming from two goals down to beat second-tier Watford 4-2 in the fourth round on Saturday.

Liverpool, which has won the trophy seven times, booked its place in the fifth round with a win at Bournemouth but Brendan Rodgers’ team lost 2-0 at the Emirates earlier this season in the league. Arsenal advanced after ousting Coventry.

The games will be played on the weekend of Feb. 15-16.

The two lowest-ranking teams remaining in the competition - League One clubs Sheffield United and Preston North End - will play each other if they win their replays against Fulham and Nottingham Forest respectively.